Support for boots or the like



Feb. 6, 1940. c, 5 MQNTAGUE I 2,189,366

SUPPORT FOR BOOTS OR THE LIKE Filed' July 29, 1939 6 Char/esli'.Monfague' m fizeawy y v I 'www Patented Feb. 6, 1940 I UNITED "STATESPATENT. OFFlCE SUPPORT i on BOOTS OR THE LIKE i Charles E/Montague,Syracuse, N. Y. Y

Application July 29, 1939, Serial No. 287,426

8 Claims.

This invention relates to supports for boots or the like and moreparticularly to supports especially adapted for holding such articleswhile being dried. 1

When drying boots, shoes and the like it is deenable to hold the articlein a shape or form approximately the same as its shape or form when inuse. This not only provides for better circulation of air and more rapidand even drying, but leaves the dried boot or shoe approximately in itsnormal shape, thus obviating the necessity of the wearers forcing thefoot into a stiif, distorted foot-covering with accompanying rapidwearon the lining and sometii les resulting in tearing of the top.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved support ofthe character referred to which is adapted to support a boot or the likein a position most conducive to rapid uniform drying in a shapeapproximately the'shape when in use.

Another object is to provide such a support which is adapted to hold thetop of the boot or shoe leg open to permit circulation of air within theboot or shoe.

:26 Another object is to provide'a support of the "character referred towhich may easily and quickly be assembled and takenapart for packing andcarrying in a car, grip, pack basket, or campers dufile bag.

E30 Afurther object is to provide such a support constructed andarranged to permit adjustment {to fit boots or the like of varioussizes.

objects will be apparent from a reading of the following description,the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a, perspective view of a support embodying the invention; V

' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the support as applied to a boot; V

Figure 3 is a section taken transversely through the leg part of theboot shown in Figure 2 and looking toward the open or top end thereof;and Figure 4 is an elevation showing a boot held on the support and thelatter suspended from a 45 wall.

In its general nature, the support S shown for the purposes ofillustration includes an extensible foot part F adapted to lie parallelto the foot F of a boot B, anextensible leg part L having a portion 50adapted to lie parallel to and behind the boot leg L, and a spreaderpart 8 adapted to extend down into the boot leg, and to contact asubstantial part of the inner circumference thereof for maintaining theboot leg open to permit circulation of air Within the entire boot. Inits preferred form, the

- wardly over the foot part.

Other (Cl.12129.1) V in support is arranged to be taken apart andassembled and to be adjustable to fit boots of=:diilerent sizes.

The leg part L is shown as comprising two L -shaped tubular members lleach'having a" portion 2 adapted to extend parallel to and behind theboot leg L and aportion 3 adapted to lie parallel to the boot heel 3'.In the assembled support, the leg members 5-! are spaced from v eachother and connected together by the foot part F and spreader s as willbe described.

The foot part F is U-shaped and hasfits free ends l-4 receivedtelescopically respectively in the heel portions 3--3 of the leg part L.The part F is resilient and the arrangement is such as te permit slidingof the ends 4-4 in and out of'the heel portions 3-3 to adjust thesupport to different boot foot sizes.

The spreader s is positioned atthe end of the leg part remote from thefoot part. It includes two shanks 5-5 received telescopicallyrespectively in the ends of the tubular portions Z-2,*tl'l6 shanksforming extensions of the leg parts 2-2. Remote from its connection tothe associated leg part 2, each shank merges with a turned-in partk 6extending transversely of the leg part and in- The transverse portion 6then merges with a part i extending longitudinally of the leg part andtoward the foot part. The two return-extending parts i are connected mby aloop- 8 disposed generally in a planeparallel to the plane of thefoot part F and adapted to contact a substantial part of the innercircumference of the leg of a supported boot.

Preferably, the foot part F and spreadersi' are formed of resilientwire. This facilitates adjustment. -A V-shaped reinforcing or stiifeningmember R, also formed of wire is arranged to have sliding connection asat 9-45 with the leg parts 2. s40

In order to apply the support S to a boot such as the boot B, the partsF, L and s are} assembled as shown in Figure 1, the foot part 'F beingadjusted to a length a little less than that of the boot foot F, and thespreader s is positioned in accordance with the length of the bootleg L.When the support is applied to the boot, the loop 8 of the spreadershould be positioned down inside the boot leg. In some cases it may beadvantageous 'to pull the spreader outwardly before setting the boot inthe support, and then, after the boot leg is disposed along the legparts 2, to push the spreader back toward the foot part F until the loop8 is in the desired position. A lacing 10 may be extended over the boottoe and secured to the foot part F to assist in holding the boot foot inan upright position, thus preventing the boot foot from droppinglaterally and twisting the boot leg.

When it is desired to suspend the boot in inverted position, anadditional lacing ll may be extended over the boot instep I and securedto the stifiening member R. The support and boot may then be suspendedfrom a nail, hook or the like I2 driven in a wall W and received in thereinforcing member R.

Supports embodying my invention preferably are adjustable to accommodateboots differing in size within rather wide limits. It will be apparenthowever that the leg parts L may be made in different lengths and thespreader s of different diameters in order to adapt the support for usein connection with three-quarter, half, or other length top boots.

A support constructed in accordance with my invention, and exemplifiedby the preferred form disclosed herein, is of light, simple andinexpensive construction, it may readily be adjusted for use with bootsor shoes of difierent sizes and styles, it may easily be assembled andtaken apart, and is capable of maintaining a boot, shoe or the like inthe shape and position most conducive to rapid and uniform drying. Thesupport disclosed herein embodies the invention in its preferred formbut it will be understood that changes may be made without departingfrom the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a support for a boot or the like, a boot foot parallellingportion; a boot leg parallelling portion; and a boot leg spreaderportion at the end of the leg parallelling portion which is opposite theboot foot parallelling portion, said spreader portion being extendedtransversely to the leg parallelling portion over the foot parallellingportion and toward the latter portion.

2. In a support for a boot or the like, means for engaging the exteriorsof and supporting a boot foot and leg; and means for extending from theoutside of the boot leg over the upper edge thereof and into the bootleg, said last named means including a spreader adapted to contact asubstantial part of-the boot leg inner circumference for holding theupper end of the boot leg open.

3. In a support for a boot or the like, means for engaging the exteriorsof and supporting a boot foot and leg; and means for extending from theoutside of the boot leg over the upper edge thereof and into the bootleg, said last named means including a looped wire spreader adapted tocontact a substantial part of the boot leg inner circumference forholding the upper end of the boot leg open.

4. In a support for a boot or the like, means for engaging andsupporting a boot foot and leg including an extensible part adapted tolie longitudinally of the boot leg; and a spreader on said extensiblepart and connected to that end thereof which is adapted to lie adjacentthe top end of a boot leg, said spreader extending laterally of saidextensible part to cross over a boot leg top and thence longitudinallytoward the opposite end of the extensible part.

5. In a support for a boot or the like, a tubular part including a legportion adapted to extend longitudinally of a boot leg and a heelportion at an angle to the leg portion and adapted to extend under theboot heel; a foot part telescopically adjustably received in said heelportion and adapted to extend under the boot foot; and a memberincluding a shank telescopically adjustably received in said legportion, a turnedin portion adapted to extend inwardly over the top ofthe boot leg, a return-extending portion adapted to project down intothe boot leg, and a spreader portion carried by the return-extendingportion.

6. In a support for a boot or the like, a tubular part including a legportion adapted to extend longitudinally of a boot leg and a heelportion at an angle to the leg portion and adapted to extend under theboot heel; a foot part telescopically adjustably received in said heelportion and adapted to extend under the boot foot; means connected tothe foot part and adapted to embrace the boot toe; and a memberincluding a shank telescopically adjustably received in 3 said legportion, a turned-in portion adapted to extend inwardly over the top ofthe boot leg, a return-extending portion adapted to project down intothe boot leg, and a spreader portion carried by the return-extendingportion.

'7. In a support for a boot or the like, a pair of substantiallyL-shaped tubular parts each including a leg portion adapted to extendlongitudinally of a boot leg and a heel portion adapted to extend underthe boot heel; a substan-' tially U-shaped foot part whose free endsrespectively are telescopically adjustably received in said heelportions; and a member including two shanks respectively receivedtelescopically and adjustably in said leg portions, said shanks eachbeing returned upon itself and the returned shank portions beingconnected by a loop adapted to fit around the inside of the boot leg.

8. In a support for a boot or the like, a U- shaped foot part adapted toextend under the foot of a boot with the curved portion of the U at theboot toe, a leg part comprising spaced members adapted to lie adjacentand extend longitudinally of the boot leg and being con nected at oneend of each respectively to the spaced arm portions of the U-shaped footpart; a spreader connected to the other ends of said spaced leg membersand being adapted to extend into the top of the boot leg; and astifiening member having sliding connection with said spaced leg membersadjacent their connection to the foot member.

CHARLES E. MONTAGUE.

